Phenom wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 7:26 pm
Derik Queen is projected to go higher but is probably for the better. He isn't showing any defensive chops against Colo St to be in consideration for the Wolves.
He sure can score the ball though!
Heh, tough shot too! Wow.
I don't know much about this year's group of prospects, but I do agree that the last thing we need is another defensively challenged big. Other than Rudy, everyone else - Randle, Reid, Garza and Miller - are challenged on that end. So if we go get a big man with one of our picks, I really want Connelly to get someone with a high defensive floor.
Phenom wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 7:26 pm
Derik Queen is projected to go higher but is probably for the better. He isn't showing any defensive chops against Colo St to be in consideration for the Wolves.
He sure can score the ball though!
Heh, tough shot too! Wow.
I don't know much about this year's group of prospects, but I do agree that the last thing we need is another defensively challenged big. Other than Rudy, everyone else - Randle, Reid, Garza and Miller - are challenged on that end. So if we go get a big man with one of our picks, I really want Connelly to get someone with a high defensive floor.
I have said it before, but Kalkbrenner would be a perfect fit. Super senior who could contribute immediately (4 time Big East defensive player of the year; averaged almost 20 points per game and can make a three). Not all draft picks need to be upside, he would be a great backup center on a cheap contract for 3 or 4 years.
Phenom wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 7:26 pm
Derik Queen is projected to go higher but is probably for the better. He isn't showing any defensive chops against Colo St to be in consideration for the Wolves.
He sure can score the ball though!
Heh, tough shot too! Wow.
I don't know much about this year's group of prospects, but I do agree that the last thing we need is another defensively challenged big. Other than Rudy, everyone else - Randle, Reid, Garza and Miller - are challenged on that end. So if we go get a big man with one of our picks, I really want Connelly to get someone with a high defensive floor.
Agreed!
And to take a step further, this is why a Reid/Randle pairing is so bad -- not plus defenders, and subpar rebounders as well. TC is going to have to pull something out of his hat to address the problem this offseason. Keeping one of them makes sense. I'm not excited about keeping both...
I'm intrigued by Joan Beringer. Sounds like a bouncier Rudy with great hands. Have to decide if the Wolves want to continue having a center that doesn't space the floor though.
I don't know much about this year's group of prospects, but I do agree that the last thing we need is another defensively challenged big. Other than Rudy, everyone else - Randle, Reid, Garza and Miller - are challenged on that end. So if we go get a big man with one of our picks, I really want Connelly to get someone with a high defensive floor.
I have said it before, but Kalkbrenner would be a perfect fit. Super senior who could contribute immediately (4 time Big East defensive player of the year; averaged almost 20 points per game and can make a three). Not all draft picks need to be upside, he would be a great backup center on a cheap contract for 3 or 4 years.
Yeah, he might hit the high defensive floor part, although to be honest, I don't even know if you can scout for NBA defensive bigs the same way you can defensive wings because there is soooo much subtlety and nuance that goes into being a good NBA defensive Center that is hard to replicate in NCAA games.
One example is that high pick and roll coverage against an NBA lead guard and big versus a college guard and big is a massive leap in difficulty and complexity. I was shocked at how good Derek Lively III was at this as a young rookie in the playoffs last season. Did Dallas know he was going to be that elite that quickly when they drafted him?
On the other side of the coin is KAT, someone that got bamboozled for years defending pick and roll as as an NBA Center even though he was thought to have a pretty high ceiling defensively. He got better as time went on, but to this day he is not known as a plus-defender.
Phenom wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 9:10 pm
I'm intrigued by Joan Beringer. Sounds like a bouncier Rudy with great hands. Have to decide if the Wolves want to continue having a center that doesn't space the floor though.
I'm not familiar with Berninger, but an elite rim roller actually does create space because he can draw the low man to the rim and open up corner 3 shooters. To this day Rudy's elite screening and rolling sucks in defenders. It's the catching and finishing part that is sub-optimal!
The issue is when your entire staring frontline are all mediocre to non-threat 3-point shooters. Then you have spacing problems!
Phenom wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 9:10 pm
I'm intrigued by Joan Beringer. Sounds like a bouncier Rudy with great hands. Have to decide if the Wolves want to continue having a center that doesn't space the floor though.
I'm not familiar with Berninger, but an elite rim roller actually does create space because he can draw the low man to the rim and open up corner 3 shooters. To this day Rudy's elite screening and rolling sucks in defenders. It's the catching and finishing part that is sub-optimal!
The issue is when your entire staring frontline are all mediocre to non-threat 3-point shooters. Then you have spacing problems!
You're right about that. I misrepresented and should have said 3 point shooter.
I hope we find a longer term PF/C in the draft. But no matter who it is, we cannot count on that player contributing much in his first year...
I mentioned that I don't like the idea of having both NAZ and Randle on the team next year. So, I've scoured the league for possible replacements for either one of those guys. Top choice? Evan Mobley. Unfortunately, he is not gettable. There were some other names that cropped up. But an interesting name that would be a short term patch until a draftee can come into his own is Nikola Vucevic. He would kind of be a KAT-lite. He's the last of the Bulls' big three -- LaVine, DeRozan and Vucevic. I wonder what it would take to acquire his services for a year?
